The Library Blog

Edinburgh Napier University

Month: August 2022

Pictures of Library Books to represent tours
Craiglockhart abstract mood images, computer details, students at work, library,

Edinburgh Napier University Library Tours

22/08/2022 / / 0 Comments

Edinburgh Napier University Library Tours

Are you ready for Super September? We are! We librarians love September. In fact, it’s our favourite month, because it brings our students back and oh, how we miss you during the long summer vacation. So why not join us for an Edinburgh Napier University Library tour!

We can’t wait to reconnect with some familiar faces and welcome many new ones. We’d like to invite you to come and visit us, either in person or virtually, and allow us to introduce ourselves and our services.

It’s never too early to hone your information retrieval skills. The sooner you’re acquainted with your library resources, the easier it’ll be for you when you have to start on your first written assignments. So, come and find us and let us show you what we can offer you.

We’ll be running our library tours on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the first four weeks of Trimester 1.

In these short, friendly sessions, we’ll introduce our physical spaces at all three campuses, our print and electronic resources collections, explain how to borrow and request items, general pc and wifi usage, how to borrow laptops, and a whole range of other library services. See here for more details:

Library Introduction Sessions (napier.ac.uk)

Scheduled Tours

To book a scheduled library tour, please click on the link below.

Calendar – Home – Edinburgh Napier University

But if these times don’t suit you, you can also book another time from early September. We’ll have a booking form ready for our unscheduled tours in early September. It’ll be called “Personalised library tour” and you’ll be able to click on and book a session. When the page is live, you’ll find it on the library forms page in our self-service portal, Unidesk:

https://napier.unidesk.ac.uk

We look forward to meeting as many of you as possible as soon as possible.

About the Library (napier.ac.uk)

By Lesley McRobb

Are you a returning student? Find out what has changed in the Library over the summer here.

Japanese Manga Art

15/08/2022 / / 1 Comment

Japanese Manga Art

What is Manga?

Manga is Japanese comics, and graphics, in newspapers, magazines and books, that emerged in the 1920s. The word consists of ‘man’, ‘whimsical’ and ‘pictures. Manga demonstrates stories of characters through pictures and expressive lines. It is usually printed in black and white due to cost savings; however special editions are printed in colour.

 

 

Comic style strip of Manga

Manga comic at Merchiston Library

 

History:

Although Manga emerged during the 20th century, the earliest association was found on scrolls created by Japanese, Buddhist monks in the 12th century. They depicted chapters of animals mirroring human gestures. Printing techniques flourished in the 19th century and Manga focused on politics, although the government censored artists and even closed publishers.

Post-World War II, American occupation of Japan influenced the style, so it became more animated and entertaining for readers. These were called ‘Red Books’ and have influenced more contemporary pictures and stories today that suggest emotions and actions.

 

Manga Genres:

The Manga sub-genres consist of romance, fantasy, horror, and adventure. The most popular and modern classics are Naruto, Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z, Fruit Basket, and Bleach. A lot of other Manga has been satirical and can focus on darker areas like corruption and injustices.

As Manga is mainly comic books, they have also become ‘anime’ meaning animations in Japanese. Anime uses movement to explain complex stories.

 

 

Image of Bleach character Manga

Bleach

 

 

So, if you are ready to read Manga, you may find that the print copies are not your usual way of reading as traditionally it is read back to front, from the top right to the left!

 

You can find Manga resources from how to master the art of drawing Manga to Bleach via the Library Search.

We even have clips available on the Library’s Box of Broadcasts.

Please let us know if you have any recommendations for the library!

 

Other resources:

https://www.carnegielibrary.org/an-introduction-to-manga/

https://blog.britishmuseum.org/an-introduction-to-manga/

World Lion day Lion picture

World Lion Day

10/08/2022 / / 0 Comments

World Lion Day

Today’s celebrations come to us from Big Cat Rescue. World Lion Day is celebrated to raise awareness and support for their protection and conservation. It was started in 2013 by Dereck and Beverly Joubert to celebrate these legendary animals (nationaltoday.com)

 

Lions are the second largest cat in the world, they can weigh between 300 and 550 pounds. They used to roam all over Africa and the Eurasian continent. But now it is estimated that there are only 30 000 and 100 000 lions left (daysoftheyear). World Lion Day was started in 2013 by Dereck and Beverly Joubert to bring attention to the dwindling population of these big cats as they are listed as endangered species.

 

We also want to give a huge shout-out to our own lion; Logie. Logie is the library’s mascot. Why a lion you may ask, well it’s all due to the Lion’s Gate Garden at Merchiston Campus. And you all named him back in 2019, a shortened version of logarithms which was invented by John Napier. He has been with us ever since, proudly promoting our libraries.

 

Photo of Logie the Lion at Merchiston Library

Photo of Logie the Lion at Merchiston Library

You can find out more about these majestic creatures by following the hashtag #WorldLionDay on Twitter,  the Big Cat Rescue or watching some documentaries on BOB (Box Of Broadcasts)!

https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/ondemand/index.php/prog/01B2B371?bcast=133938976

 

While it may seem doom and gloom, raising awareness matters and individuals can make a difference. The demand to tackle climate change and to take care of our natural environment is there. Let’s join Logie and roar for the lions.

 

By Maya Green

Library shelf image from a day in the life of a library assistant

A day in the life of a Library Assistant

05/08/2022 / / 0 Comments

A day in the life of a Library Assistant

Have you ever wondered what else Library Assistants do when they aren’t at the desk?

Starting our Day

Our day begins with emptying the book return bins as we check all returns to see if they have been requested or belong to another campus. If they belong to another campus or are requested at another campus, they will be put into our library crates for the porters to pick up and deliver.

We will check the library for any repairs and take any lost property to security.

The MFDs must be checked to see if the paper needs filled or if there are any issues that need to be resolved, for example, paper jams.

Using ALMA, our library management system, we compile a list of requested books and process them for the Click and Collect shelf. Any requests for postal loan users are parcelled up and put in the post.

 

 

Picture of books on a library shelf

Picture of books on a library shelf

 

We also use ALMA to generate other lists such as the missing list.

We can check our bookshelves to see if any of the missing items are there.

Our lapsafes are checked daily to make sure all laptops and chargers have been correctly returned.

During the day

We scan the bookshelves with our hand-held scanners to check for missing and mis-shelved items. We process new books and journals as they arrive and put them out on the shelves.

There is a procedure for all our tasks, and these are updated as necessary and receive an annual check.

We arrange displays and put up decorations and posters for campaigns and events such as Pride, Love your Library, and Book Week.

We write articles for the Library Blog, update the library’s digital signage, and post items on Twitter and Instagram.

 

Image of laptop with hands typing, a cup of coffee to one side and paper and pens to the other.

Creative planning at work

A day in the life of a Library Assistant: Training

There are all sorts of training courses that we attend throughout the year such as GDPR, Mental Health Awareness, and Fire Safety.

Should extraordinary events such as Covid-19 arise we respond by taking appropriate steps to fulfill University or Library guidelines.

For example, during the Covid-19 pandemic, we had to place social distancing stickers on the study desks, put seat covers on unavailable seats, block off bookshelves and make sure hand sanitisers were available for use throughout the library.

A day in the life of a Library Assistant: Summer

During the summer we will be involved in larger projects such as weeding and stock moves, but we are also on hand to help at the helpdesk and answer your phone and e-mail enquiries.

When term begins again we will be available to help with all your queries such as connecting to Eduroam, issuing books from the self-service kiosks, using the lapsafe, how to operate the MFDs, booking a group study room and so much more!

Read More about our Library here.

By Vivienne Hamilton

The history of Sighthill Campus

01/08/2022 / / 0 Comments

A lot has changed since John Napier was born in the tower at Merchiston Castle in 1550, during turbulent times for Scotland.

Times are still a little turbulent… but what would Napier think of our modern-day university campuses?

As you may know, Edinburgh Napier has 3 campus locations – at Merchiston, Craiglockhart and Sighthill. Not long after being renamed Edinburgh Napier university in 2009 (previously Napier University), the University opened its brand new £60m Sighthill campus in 2011.

 

 

Sighthill campus

Sighthill Campus, photograph from Edinburgh Napier Image Bank

 

Situated in the west of Edinburgh, sights of Sighthill include Burton’s biscuit company, Edinburgh Beer Factory, Edinburgh College  and of course our own Edinburgh Napier Sighthill Campus.

More than 5000 students choose to study at Sighthill campus, which houses the School of Health and Social Care (SHSC) and the School of Applied Sciences (SAS).

Applied sciences courses include Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Marine Biology and Conservation, as well as Sport Sciences, Social Sciences, Psychology, Policing and Careers Guidance. Facilities include Sport and exercise science labs, biotech labs and an environmental chamber to simulate high altitude conditions!

Health and Social care courses include Nursing, Midwifery, Allied Health professions and Social Work, as well as Health & Social Care Sciences. Step inside and you’ll find a 1000 sq metre Clinical skills centre with hospital wards, where students can treat ‘patients’ in a life-like setting.

https://www.napier.ac.uk/about-us/our-location/our-campuses/sighthill

 

 

image of nurse and training dummy

Nursing, photograph from Edinburgh Napier Image Bank

 

The opening of the 2011 Sighthill campus, with its brand new 5 storey Learning Resource Centre library, meant the bringing together of staff from a number of small ‘school of health’ libraries at Livingston St John’s hospital, Canaan Lane campus which was on the grounds of the Astley Ainslie Hospital and Comely Bank campus which was situated within the Western General Hospital’s grounds.

However, Edinburgh Napier was present at Sighthill long before 2011!

Sighthill Campus was originally opened in 1968 as custom-built accommodation for Edinburgh College of Commerce. The Edinburgh Corporation established the college in 1966 and subjects taught here would have included management and business studies – which you will now find at Craiglockhart campus!

In 1974, Edinburgh College of Commerce was amalgamated with Napier College of Science & Technology – and Napier College of Commerce & Technology was born. In 1986, Napier College became Napier Polytechnic, and then Napier University in 1992.

 

Notably, in 1984, her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Duke of Edinburgh came to Sighthill campus to open the newly refurbished library! The library was given the apt name of ‘The Queens Library’.

 

 

Image of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to open Sighthill Library

Queen Elizabeth II opened Sighthill Library

 

 

Our present-day Sighthill LRC has a range of study environments fit for any royalty 👑 👑 👑!.

Across 5 floors, we have around 300 networked computers, spaces for laptops, study booths and collaborative desks for group work.

Our book collections are spread across the 3rd and 4th floors, with group study rooms, silent study areas and a relaxation space also available.

You can also borrow laptops from our LapSafe or ask for help at our Help Desk on LRC2.

Want to know more? Find out here.

 

Sources:

https://www.napier.ac.uk/about-us/our-history

https://www.napier.ac.uk/about-us/our-location/our-campuses/sighthill

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edinburgh_Napier_University

https://my.napier.ac.uk/library/about-the-library/sighthill

Seath, G. (2017). Beyond Logarithms & Bones: A short history of John Napier and his legacy.

The Napier Estate : past and present. (2007). Napier University.

 

By Judy Wheeler

Contact Us

Email: library@napier.ac.uk

Telephone: 0131 455 3500

Twitter: @EdNapLib

Instagram: @ENU_Library​

 

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